In this moment in history and in our global industrialized world, time is a form of power and currency. We spend time, we take time, waste time, kill time, buy time, find time, invest time, share time, steal moments, etc.
“In mature capitalist society all time must be consumed, marketed, put to use; it is offensive for the labour force merely to ‘pass the time.’” -E.P. Thompson
“Time, as we have known it in the West, is not merely a neutral measure but an instrument of power, a tool for the domination of one group by another.” -Johannes Fabian
We are not as busy as we think or say we are. We feel busy, but we are not busy all the time. We feel busy because we feel the pressure of time through our timekeeping devices. Time feels constrained and scarce when we have devices constantly counting down and reminding us of our next obligation.
Take a little time for yourself today. Stare at shadows, or a tree that sways in the wind, read a book, listen to a piece of music with all notifications turned off, and watch everyone else run around. It’s when you stop that you see how fast everyone is running. It’s amazing that, only moments ago, you were going that fast, too!
0 Comments